Show them you care by creating a heritage society with special events, communications.

By Alison O'carroll

Why a heritage society?
Including planned-giving donors in outright giving clubs raises difficult issues regarding how to value and credit planned gifts. A commonly adopted option is to establish a special society known, generically, as a heritage society.

A heritage society helps ensure that planned-giving donors receive recognition and are thanked systematically. Their decisions to make deferred gifts (which are, after all, revocable in many instances) are reinforced by being part of a group and by connecting them with other far-thinking individuals. In addition, a heritage society can be a very helpful way to initiate conversations with prospects about their legacy planning and possible future gifts.